Arthur Forrest (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Arthur Forrest was an officer of the Royal Navy
who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession
and the Seven Years' War
, rising to the rank of captain
and the post of commodore
.
. He volunteered to serve as a pilot
, passed his lieutenant's examination by December 1740, and was given command of the sloop Pilot. During this time he was under orders to train officers in the pilotage of Port Royal
. His skills led him to take a distinguished part in the Battle of Cartagena de Indias
in March 1741. He came to the attention of Edward Boscawen
after serving under him in an attack on the Baradera battery on shore on 17 and 18 March 1741, and on 25 May he was promoted by the expedition's commander, Admiral Edward Vernon
, to command the bomb vessel
. Further appointments followed, to the sloop in November 1742, and then to . During this time he served on the home station and in convoy service to America.
In 1745 he was promoted to post captain and given command of , in which he took out a large convoy to Newfoundland
. In November he was at Boston
, where, by pressing some seamen contrary to colonial custom, he got into a troublesome dispute, ending in a serious fray, in which two men were killed. The boatswain
of the Wager was arrested on a charge of murder, was convicted, and sentenced to death ; the sentence, however, does not appear to have been carried out. Forrest afterwards went to the West Indies, where, in the following year, he captured a Spanish privateer
of much superior force.
under his command, to cruise off Cape François
; and on 21 October encountered a powerful French squadron of four ships of the line and three heavy frigates under Guy François de Coetnempren, comte de Kersaint, which came out of harbour to drive the British away from a convoy. After a short conference with his colleagues, captains Maurice Suckling
and William Langdon said to have lasted just half a minute Forrest determined on attempting to carry out his orders, and bore down on the enemy. In the ensuing battle
the British managed to disable several French ships, but were outnumbered and too badly damaged to press an attack, and after two hours of fighting, each side drew off and returned to their respective ports. The French returned to the Cape, where they refitted and then proceeded on their voyage, while Forrest went back to Jamaica.
On 24 December, being detached singly off Petit Guave, he encountered a fleet of eight merchant ships, and in the night captured the sloop of war which was escorting them, and used her as a tender against her own convoy, taking all the ships. In August 1759 he took the Augusta to England, and on paying her off, in April 1760, commissioned , one of the ships taken by Boscawen at the Battle of Lagos
in 1759. After a few months with the fleet in the Bay of Biscay
, he went out to Jamaica, where, by the death of Rear-Admiral Charles Holmes
in November 1761, he was left senior officer. On this he moved into , hoisted a broad pennant
, and took on himself both the duties and privileges of commander-in-chief, until Sir James Douglas
, coming from the Leeward Islands in April 1762, summarily dispossessed him. Forrest returned to England, passenger in a merchant ship, when, on reporting himself to the admiralty, he was told that his conduct in constituting himself commodore was ‘most irregular and unjustifiable;’ and that the officers whom he had promoted would not be confirmed. This led to a long correspondence, in which the admiralty so far yielded as to order him to be reimbursed for the expenses he had incurred, though without sanctioning the higher rate of pay.
.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
and the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, rising to the rank of captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
and the post of commodore
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
.
Early life
Details of Forrest's parents and upbringing are unknown, but he had served in the merchant navy as mate or master, trading with CartagenaCartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
. He volunteered to serve as a pilot
Maritime pilot
A pilot is a mariner who guides ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbours or river mouths. With the exception of the Panama Canal, the pilot is only an advisor, as the captain remains in legal, overriding command of the vessel....
, passed his lieutenant's examination by December 1740, and was given command of the sloop Pilot. During this time he was under orders to train officers in the pilotage of Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
. His skills led him to take a distinguished part in the Battle of Cartagena de Indias
Battle of Cartagena de Indias
The Battle of Cartagena de Indias was an amphibious military engagement between the forces of Britain under Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon and those of Spain under Admiral Blas de Lezo. It took place at the city of Cartagena de Indias in March 1741, in present-day Colombia...
in March 1741. He came to the attention of Edward Boscawen
Edward Boscawen
Admiral Edward Boscawen, PC was an Admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament for the borough of Truro, Cornwall. He is known principally for his various naval commands throughout the 18th Century and the engagements that he won, including the Siege of Louisburg in 1758 and Battle of Lagos...
after serving under him in an attack on the Baradera battery on shore on 17 and 18 March 1741, and on 25 May he was promoted by the expedition's commander, Admiral Edward Vernon
Edward Vernon
Edward Vernon was an English naval officer. Vernon was born in Westminster, England and went to Westminster School. He joined the Navy in 1700 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1702 and served on several different ships for the next five years...
, to command the bomb vessel
Bomb vessel
A bomb vessel, bomb ship, bomb ketch, or simply bomb was a type of wooden sailing naval ship. Its primary armament was not cannon —although bomb vessels carried a few cannon for self-defence—but rather mortars mounted forward near the bow and elevated to a high angle, and projecting their fire in a...
. Further appointments followed, to the sloop in November 1742, and then to . During this time he served on the home station and in convoy service to America.
In 1745 he was promoted to post captain and given command of , in which he took out a large convoy to Newfoundland
Newfoundland Colony
Newfoundland Colony was England's first permanent colony in the New World.From 1610 to 1728, Proprietary Governors were appointed to establish colonial settlements on the island. John Guy was governor of the first settlement at Cuper's Cove. Other settlements were Bristol's Hope, Renews, New...
. In November he was at Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, where, by pressing some seamen contrary to colonial custom, he got into a troublesome dispute, ending in a serious fray, in which two men were killed. The boatswain
Boatswain
A boatswain , bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The boatswain supervises the other unlicensed members of the ship's deck department, and typically is not a watchstander, except on vessels with small crews...
of the Wager was arrested on a charge of murder, was convicted, and sentenced to death ; the sentence, however, does not appear to have been carried out. Forrest afterwards went to the West Indies, where, in the following year, he captured a Spanish privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
of much superior force.
Seven Years' War
In 1755 he commanded , in which he was again sent to the West Indies, and in 1757 was moved into the 60-gun . In October he was detached, with two other ships and EdinburghHMS Warspite (1666)
HMS Warspite was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched in 1666 at Blackwall Yard. This second Warspite was one of the five ships designed to carry more provisions and lower deck guns higher above the water than French and Dutch equivalents...
under his command, to cruise off Cape François
Cap-Haïtien
Cap-Haïtien is a city of about 190,000 people on the north coast of Haiti and capital of the Department of Nord...
; and on 21 October encountered a powerful French squadron of four ships of the line and three heavy frigates under Guy François de Coetnempren, comte de Kersaint, which came out of harbour to drive the British away from a convoy. After a short conference with his colleagues, captains Maurice Suckling
Maurice Suckling
Captain Maurice Suckling was a Royal Navy officer who was instrumental in the training of his nephew, Horatio Nelson.-Seven Years War:...
and William Langdon said to have lasted just half a minute Forrest determined on attempting to carry out his orders, and bore down on the enemy. In the ensuing battle
Battle of Cap-Français
The Battle of Cap-Français was a naval engagement during the Seven Years' War fought between French and British forces outside the harbour of Cap-Français, Saint-Domingue on 21 October 1757....
the British managed to disable several French ships, but were outnumbered and too badly damaged to press an attack, and after two hours of fighting, each side drew off and returned to their respective ports. The French returned to the Cape, where they refitted and then proceeded on their voyage, while Forrest went back to Jamaica.
On 24 December, being detached singly off Petit Guave, he encountered a fleet of eight merchant ships, and in the night captured the sloop of war which was escorting them, and used her as a tender against her own convoy, taking all the ships. In August 1759 he took the Augusta to England, and on paying her off, in April 1760, commissioned , one of the ships taken by Boscawen at the Battle of Lagos
Battle of Lagos
The naval Battle of Lagos between Britain and France took place on August 19, 1759 during the Seven Years' War off the coasts of Spain and Portugal, and is named after Lagos, Portugal. For the British, it was part of the Annus Mirabilis of 1759.-Origins:...
in 1759. After a few months with the fleet in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
, he went out to Jamaica, where, by the death of Rear-Admiral Charles Holmes
Charles Holmes (Royal Navy officer)
Charles Holmes was a Rear admiral in the British Navy during the Seven Years War, and was Wolfe's third-in-command during the capture of Quebec in 1759...
in November 1761, he was left senior officer. On this he moved into , hoisted a broad pennant
Broad pennant
A broad pennant is a swallow-tailed tapering flag flown from the masthead of a ship to indicate the presence of a commodore on board. It is so called because its dimensions are roughly 2:3....
, and took on himself both the duties and privileges of commander-in-chief, until Sir James Douglas
Sir James Douglas, 1st Baronet
Admiral Sir James Douglas, 1st Baronet naval officer and Commodore of Newfoundland.-Naval career:Douglas became a captain in the Royal Navy in 1744 In 1745 commanded the HMS Mermaid at Louisbourg and in 1746 he commanded the HMS Vigilante at Louisbourg. In 1746 was appointed Commodore of...
, coming from the Leeward Islands in April 1762, summarily dispossessed him. Forrest returned to England, passenger in a merchant ship, when, on reporting himself to the admiralty, he was told that his conduct in constituting himself commodore was ‘most irregular and unjustifiable;’ and that the officers whom he had promoted would not be confirmed. This led to a long correspondence, in which the admiralty so far yielded as to order him to be reimbursed for the expenses he had incurred, though without sanctioning the higher rate of pay.
Later life and death
In 1769, however, he was sent out to the same station as commander-in-chief, with his broad pennant in . His time in the appointment was short-lived, he died at Jamaica on 26 May 1770. He had married Frederica Marina Cecilia, probably a daughter of Colonel Lynch of Jamaica, by whom he had two sons and five daughters. Mrs. Forrest survived her husband many years, and died in 1802. His eldest daughter, Bridget, married the diarist John Byng, 5th Viscount TorringtonJohn Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington
John Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington , styled Hon. John Byng until 1812, was one of the most notable of English eighteenth-century diarists...
.